Kate Clark Community Sport Advisor WBOP Sport Bay of Plenty

The Community Sport team here at Sport Bay of Plenty are always on the lookout for new ways to assist sports clubs to improve the sustainability of their operations.

LiteClub is a completely free service to save sports clubs money so they can put it back into sport. LiteClub helps clubs to become more efficient with electricity, water and recycling. The LiteClub field team install energy efficient lighting, wrap hot water cylinders, insulate piping and fit water-saving devices to taps and toilets. They also set up sorting-at-source bins to reduce waste sent to landfill. All of this is completed in one three hour visit, resulting in a big win for the club in return for a small time investment. These changes are easy to implement but make a big difference. This immediately starts freeing up money for sport delivery, improves club conditions and reduces environmental impact. The team also generate a report setting out how the club may further improve efficiency and free up more cash.

LiteClub is funded by the Ministry for the Environment, NZCT and local trusts including the Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust (TECT). So far, LiteClub has visited 502 sports clubs around New Zealand and made changes estimated to save clubs over $2.5 million.

LiteClub is led by ten sporting heroes: Michael Campbell, Barbara Kendall, Conrad Smith, Marina Erakovic, Sarah Walker, Moss Burmester the Evers-Swindell twins, Brendon McCullum, and top surfer Daniel Kereopa. These ambassadors have made similar changes in their own lives and now compete against each other to see who can reduce their environmental impact the most. As community leaders, their actions work to inspire all New Zealanders to be environmental champions.

In the Bay of Plenty, LiteClub has already visited 23 community sports clubs and implemented changes estimated to save them $117,000. Thanks to funding from TECT, LiteClub returned in March to help 14 more clubs. Sports clubs that lease or own clubrooms are encouraged to register for this completely free service. Places are limited, however, so clubs should register as soon as possible online at http://liteclub.org.